Ross, Athletics keep Angels in free fall

May 14, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Angels shortstop Erick Aybar (2) throws to first to complete an inning ending double play in the 3rd. inning Monday at Angels Stadium. Oakland Athletics shortstop Cliff Pennington (2) was out at second. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels first baseman Albert Pujols tosses his bat on the way to first as he grounds out in the first inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki (8) comes to the aid of home plate umpire Tom Hallion in the 1st. inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Oakland Athletics right fielder Josh Reddick gets high fives in the dugout after his 1st inning home run Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels third baseman Maicer Izturis slides under the tag of Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks to steal second base Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels first baseman Albert Pujols reacts to grounding out in the first inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels third baseman Maicer Izturis can't make the play as Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks slides in head first to third Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Oakland Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson gets brushed back in the 5th. inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels catcher Bobby Wilson runs down and tags out Oakland Athletics designated hitter Jonny Gomes on the third base line in the 5th. inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Oakland Athletics designated hitter Seth Smith (15) comes into home plate in the 4th inning, Los Angeles Angels catcher Bobby Wilson (46) heads up the third base line to catch the throw Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels third baseman Maicer Izturis catches Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks pop up to end the top of the 6th inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels third baseman Mark Trumbo reacts popping out to first to end the 6th. inning with two men on Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels starting pitcher Dan Haren tries to gather himself after giving up two runs to the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels left fielder Vernon Wells makes a inning ending catch of a Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks hit to shallow left in the 8th. inning Monday at Angels Stadium much to the delight of the fans. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Oakland Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson throws out Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos at first in the 8th. inning Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels designated hitter Kendrys Morales grounds out in the 8th inning with two men on base Monday at Angels Stadium. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels shortstop Erick Aybar (2) throws to first to complete an inning ending double play in the 3rd. inning Monday at Angels Stadium. Oakland Athletics shortstop Cliff Pennington (2) was out at second. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM – The Angels are 15-21, have been shut out a remarkable eight times already this season, and they lose to both the mighty Rangers and the light-hitting Athletics by lopsided scores.

It’s only mid-May, and yet it’s starting to feel later than that.

“I don’t think anyone’s worried, but it’s not early anymore,” pitcher Dan Haren said after Monday night’s 5-0 loss to Oakland, the Angels’ fourth defeat to their NorCal neighbors in five meetings this year. In those losses they’ve scored only five runs total.

The Angels were coming off a series loss to Texas over the weekend, in which they were outscored 25-13. At least they could cling to that wonderful, gutsy performance by C.J. Wilson in the middle game, when they rode his reboot the day after a rain delay to a 4-2 victory. That was also the day Mark Trumbo hit a 440-foot home run. But like many such satisfying wins, the Angels came right back with a dispiriting loss.

“This team’s too good to be shut out as much as we’ve been shut out this year,” manager Mike Scioscia said.

Haren fell to 1-4 with a 4.41 ERA. In his previous start, on May 8 at Minnesota, Haren was limited because of back stiffness, and he gave up five runs in only 3 2/3 innings in a 5-0 loss.

Before Monday's game Manager Mike Scioscia said Haren felt "great," and Haren got the first two batters of the game to ground out. But Josh Reddick hit a 1-and-2 pitch into the seats in right for a homer and a 1-0 lead.

Seth Smith had a pair of doubles, the second one a big blow in the fifth inning. With the A's leading, 2-0, Haren hit Jemile Weeks with a pitch, then Chad Pennington singled. Reddick was intentionally walked to load the bases. Smith then sent a line drive down the right-field line, scoring Pennington and Reddick to make it 4-0.

The A’s did all that without third baseman Brandon Inge, who went on an absolute tear last week with four four-RBI games and four homers (including two grand slams) in a span of five games. He sat out Monday with a sore groin.

Haren didn’t make excuses, even though he could have surrendered just the homer to Reddick and still lost, the way the Angels are hitting. The Angels entered the game seventh in the AL in team batting average, at .247. Down at the bottom of that list are the A’s, at .218.

Five of the Angels’ eight shutouts have come when Ervin Santana started the game; the other three came with Haren on the mound.

“I’m more frustrated with the way I’ve been pitching, to be honest,” Haren said. “I can’t point any fingers at the hitters, or anybody in the bullpen. I’ve got to be better.”

For the second time this season, the Angels couldn’t solve Oakland starter Tyson Ross (2-3), who allowed just five singles and a walk over six innings. The A’s (19-17) pulled to four games of AL West-leading Texas, which lost to Kansas City.

Ross limited the Angels to two runs in six innings at the Angels Stadium on April 17 in a no-decision. In that game, the A's rallied to win, 5-3. Lately, however, he had been worse than ordinary: In his previous three starts before Monday night, he had surrendered 25 hits and 19 earned runs in only 13 innings against Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Toronto.

He had it all going against the Angels, though: In the sixth, he got Albert Pujols to whiff on a 92 mph fastball, very low. By that point Pujols was 0 for 3, his average down to .191, and again he was hearing boos. He heard them again in the eighth, even before the first pitch from reliever Jordan Norberto. Pujols singled, moving Maicer Izturis (who had singled) from first to third. But Kendrys Morales grounded out to end the inning.

Izturis went 3 for 4 and Trumbo 2 for 4 to raise his batting average to .330. But those were the only two things resembling a bright spot for the Angels.

As Scioscia noted, the Angels hit some balls hard. He’s tried to stay positive by telling his players to temper their frustration with the knowledge that things will turn around.

But he was also realistic.

“There’s no such thing in this game as feeling sorry for yourself,” he said. “There’s only one way out of the hole, and that’s to crawl. Inch by inch, pitch by pitch.”

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